Trade ministers from World Trade Organisation's member countries are literally burning the midnight oil to reach a breakthrough on issues such as the future of the Doha round, a special safeguard mechanism for developing countries and phase-out period for export subsidies to arrive at some sort of a pact at the on-going ministerial meet at Nairobi.

"Meetings have been going on since last night and are now spilling over to Friday as trade ministers try to arrive at a ministerial declaration. However, the chair of the negotiations, Kenyan Minister Amina Mohamed and WTO director general Roberto Azevedo, want that talks should be completed on Friday, and there shouldn't be any extension," an official familiar with the talks said.

Two drafts – one on agriculture and the other on the ministerial declaration – were circulated to all members on Thursday. The texts were strongly criticised by India as they did not address its main concerns on SSMs for poor farmers and also included new issues, although without naming them.

"There is convergence only on the rules of origin for LDCs and services waiver for them. In all other areas members are still far apart," the official said.

The chair of the agriculture group has asked opposing members, including India, to submit draft texts on the changes they would want to make in the first draft. Members have to submit similar texts on the Nairobi declaration reflecting the areas they want to be changed in the final declaration," the official said.

The chairs of the two committees will work out revised texts based on the submissions made by members.

If a consensus is reached amongst all members on the contents of the revised drafts, a final ministerial declaration will be drafted, the official added.

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